New Weapon Against the Flu?

By Jeffrey Kopman

Published Sep 9 2013 03:41 PM EDT

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Just in time for flu season, there may be a brand-new way to detect the highly contagious virus — before you spread it to your co-workers or classmates. Scientists are developing a home test to diagnose influenza quickly, according to a presentation at the National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.

The new technology is not fully developed, but could be as quick and cheap as a home pregnancy test or throat swab for strep throat. Researchers stressed the importance of such a test to prevent the spread of the easily transmitted virus.

"Just going to the doctor's office or hospital for diagnosis can be counterproductive during a major flu outbreak," Suri Iyer, Ph.D., from Georgia State University in Atlanta, explained in a press release. "It carries the risk of spreading the disease. During the last swine flu outbreak, hospitals in some areas went on TV to tell people not come to the ER. Not only could they spread the virus, but ERs did not have the facilities to test hundreds of worried people."

Researchers hope their new test will eventually offer results with an easy-to-read color change, similar to a pregnancy test.

Healthy adults can spread the flu one day before symptoms even develop, and 5 to 7 days after becoming sick, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children can spread the virus for several more days. Early detection could help shorten the window for people to spread the disease from person-to-person. The flu kills approximately 36,000 people a year in the United States, sickening more than 310,000 total.

The current test is flawed, thanks to high costs, inaccurate results and a two-test system that can take 3 to 10 days to properly diagnose someone, Dr. Iyer added.

While the new test might be available in the near-distant future, another weapon against the flu is already available. This year, people have the option to choose between the standard three-strain flu vaccine and a new four-strain flu vaccine, which is believed to offer more protection against the virus.